capstan
2006-02-26 20:49:39 UTC
One of the old boys here who's been gardening since Robin Hood was a lad
(but looks older) claims he's cracked the problem of weevils in outside pots
and planters.
He says he always wipes or paints the rim of the containers with neat Jeyes
Fluid to deter the beetles getting at the soil.
He does this four or five times a season, and he very rarely gets any grubs
and he reckons it doesn't damage the plants. He's a fuchsia fanatic and
grows and exhibits hundreds.
He reckons that Armatillox stuff is just as good..... but more expensive.
After helping him to repot lots of his specimen plants this past week I can
attest to how weevil-free his stock is.
Unlike my collection which is crawling with literally hundreds of grubs.
Many of my plants have been killed off....which happens every year.
He said that a couple of years back he smeared the pot rims with that sticky
stuff you paint around fruit tree trunks and this was good but was very
messy to your hands if you forgot about it when you had to handle the pots.
The old bugger reckons its a combination of bad smell and sore feet which
deters the beetles, but I just nod knowingly and say have another beer Alf.
Anyway, I'm giving it a try this year.
capstan.
PS. My wife has just reminded me that the "old" codger is two years younger
than me. Wives are like that !!
(but looks older) claims he's cracked the problem of weevils in outside pots
and planters.
He says he always wipes or paints the rim of the containers with neat Jeyes
Fluid to deter the beetles getting at the soil.
He does this four or five times a season, and he very rarely gets any grubs
and he reckons it doesn't damage the plants. He's a fuchsia fanatic and
grows and exhibits hundreds.
He reckons that Armatillox stuff is just as good..... but more expensive.
After helping him to repot lots of his specimen plants this past week I can
attest to how weevil-free his stock is.
Unlike my collection which is crawling with literally hundreds of grubs.
Many of my plants have been killed off....which happens every year.
He said that a couple of years back he smeared the pot rims with that sticky
stuff you paint around fruit tree trunks and this was good but was very
messy to your hands if you forgot about it when you had to handle the pots.
The old bugger reckons its a combination of bad smell and sore feet which
deters the beetles, but I just nod knowingly and say have another beer Alf.
Anyway, I'm giving it a try this year.
capstan.
PS. My wife has just reminded me that the "old" codger is two years younger
than me. Wives are like that !!